Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will grant or seek aid, under article 4 of the EEC Council Regulation No 26 of 1962 on rules of competition in agricultural products in respect of potatoes other than starch potatoes in order to support the potato industry in Scotland and, in particular, in the Montrose area.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish potato industry has not sought assistance under this regulation and we have no plans to offer financial support to an industry that has traditionally been self-sufficient.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people, and what percentage of the population, are currently served by the (a) Aberdeen, (b) Dundee, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Glasgow and (e) Inverness Cancer Centres.

Susan Deacon: The populations served and percentages for each of Scotland’s five cancer centres are as follows.

  


Centre 
  

Population 
  

% of total 
  



Aberdeen 
  

565,320 
  

11.1 
  



Dundee 
  

385,500 
  

7.5 
  



Edinburgh 
  

1,386,700 
  

27.1 
  



Glasgow 
  

2,541,300 
  

49.7 
  



Inverness 
  

235,780 
  

4.6

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many linear accelerators are currently available for use for cancer treatments per million of the populations served by the (a) Aberdeen, (b) Dundee, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Glasgow and (e) Inverness Cancer Centres.

Susan Deacon: The answer given to question S1W-19747 provides information on the populations served by each of the five cancer centres. The number of linear accelerator and the number per million population served are as follows.

  


Centre 
  

No. Linear accelerators 
  

No. per million of population 
  



Aberdeen 
  

2 
  

3.5 
  



Dundee 
  

2 
  

5.2 
  



Edinburgh 
  

5 
  

3.8 
  



Glasgow 
  

7 (8 by December 2001) 
  

2.8 (3.2) 
  



Inverness 
  

1 
  

4.3

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent NHS consultant oncologists there currently are per million of the populations served by the (a) Aberdeen, (b) Dundee, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Glasgow and (e) Inverness Cancer Centres.

Susan Deacon: Cancer services in Scotland are delivered by clinicians working within three regional managed clinical networks. The whole-time equivalent (WTE) of oncologists working within a particular cancer centre area and the ratio of these to the local population is therefore not an indicator of the level of patient access to these highly specialised services.

  The following table shows the latest available WTE of consultant oncologists working within the areas covered by the three regional cancer networks. The table should be read in conjunction with the notes below.

  Consultant Medical and Clinical Oncologists Employed in NHSScotland

  Whole-Time Equivalent and Rate per 1,000,000 Population: 30 September 2000p

  

 

Whole-Time Equivalent 
  

per 1,000,000 Population 
  


 

Total 
  

Medical Oncologists 
  

Clinical Oncologists 
  

Total 
  

Medical Oncologists 
  

Clinical Oncologists 
  



Scotland 
  

45.4 
  

11.0 
  

34.4 
  

8.9 
  

2.2 
  

6.7 
  



North1


12.8 
  

3.2 
  

9.6 
  

10.8 
  

2.7 
  

8.1 
  



West2


19.1 
  

3.9 
  

15.2 
  

7.5 
  

1.5 
  

6.0 
  



South East3


13.5 
  

3.9 
  

9.6 
  

9.7 
  

2.8 
  

6.9 
  



  Source: Staff – Medical and Dental Census, ISD Scotland; Population Estimates – Registrar General for Scotland.

  p. The data shown is provisional and is the value on 30 September 2000. This may not necessarily represent average staffing levels throughout the year.

  Notes:

  1. The North of Scotland Cancer Network area covers the following NHS board areas: Grampian, Highland, Orkney, Shetland, Tayside and Western Isles. This area includes the cancer centres in Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.

  2. The West of Scotland Cancer Network area covers the following NHS board areas: Argyll & Clyde, Ayrshire & Arran, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire. This area includes the cancer centre in Glasgow.

  3. The South East Scotland Cancer Network area covers the following NHS board areas: Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Fife and Lothian. This area includes the cancer centre in Edinburgh.

  There are likely to be some cross-boundary flows between network areas which have not been accounted for in this table.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidance is issued to health boards regarding the numbers of new patients to be accepted for referrals for each whole-time equivalent NHS consultant oncologist.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has, or representations it has received since January 2001 from or on behalf of the managers of the North Glasgow University Hospitals Trust or Greater Glasgow Health Board, regarding levels and trends of new patient referrals accepted or planned for each whole-time equivalent NHS consultant oncologist in the trust and board areas.

Susan Deacon: NHS management are responsible for planning services required to meet the assessed needs of their respective patient populations.

  From time to time professional bodies, such as the Royal Colleges, may make recommendations for the provision of services by their members within particular clinical specialties. Any such recommendations are expected to be taken into account by NHS Boards when planning local services.

Hospitals

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals currently make use of isolation wards as a measure to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infection; if none do, what plans it has to introduce such wards and, if such wards do exist, what plans it has to increase their number, and what criteria are applied in deciding whether to establish such wards.

Susan Deacon: These are operational issues for the NHS but hospitals are expected to follow the guidance contained in the Scottish Infection Manual (1998) . This makes clear that trusts require to provide suitable accommodation for the clinical care of patients with hospital-acquired infection. The nature and extent of isolation facilities required in a hospital should be assessed as part of a formal risk assessment required by Health and Safety at Work legislation.

Hospitals

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been conducted into the costs involved in using isolation wards as a measure to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infection and, if so, what these costs are.

Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research to improve both the health of the people of Scotland and the services provided by the NHS. CSO is not funding any research on the costs of isolation wards. It is, however, funding a number of research projects on drug resistant organisms. Details of these projects are available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404).

Livestock

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the question S1W-1021 by Ross Finnie on 10 September 1999, whether achievement of the target of incinerating 60% of meat and bonemeal stocks produced under the Over Thirty Month Slaughter Scheme by March 2002 is on schedule.

Ross Finnie: As at week ending 4 November 2001 some 287,800 tonnes of meat and bonemeal (MBM) produced from animals rendered under the Over Thirty Months Slaughter Scheme has been incinerated. The Rural Payments Agency currently has some 4,100 tonnes of incineration capacity available per week, with a further plant undergoing commissioning. When complete this will bring the weekly capacity to well over 5,000 tonnes.

  The total quantity of MBM arising from animals slaughtered and rendered under the scheme between May 1996 and March 2002 is expected to be about 100,000 tonnes more than was assumed when the target was set. Notwithstanding that, present projections indicate that the target can be met but its achievement depends critically on the amount of MBM produced between now and 31 March 2002 and the effective performance of the contracted incineration facilities.

Livestock

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the question S1W-17624 by Ross Finnie on 6 September 2001, how many tonnes of carcasses of cattle culled under the Over Thirty Month Slaughter Scheme have been transported from England for rendering in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: Since the Over Thirty Months Slaughter Scheme recommended in July 2001 some 10,500 tonnes of carcase material has been transported from abattoirs in England for rendering in Scotland.

Livestock

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contracts have been awarded by the Rural Payments Agency for the rendering or incineration of cattle under the Over Thirty Month Slaughter Scheme in Scotland and what gate fees have been negotiated with each company.

Ross Finnie: Following competitive tenders, contracts have been awarded to the following companies in Scotland for the rendering or incineration of cattle under the Over Thirty Months Slaughter Scheme:

  Rendering

  William Forrest & Son (Paisley) Ltd, Motherwell

  Incineration of carcase materials from abattoir

  Sacone Environmental Ltd, Brechin

  Chinglebraes Gasifiers, Orkney

  Incineration of casualty cattle

  North East Incineration, Keith

  Hamilton (Irvine) Ltd, Irvine

  Incineration Scotland, Dumfries

  Chinglebraes Gasifiers, Orkney

  Gate fees vary from plant to plant, the details of which are a matter of commercial confidentiality.

  Separate contracts have been awarded for the collection, sampling and disposal of fallen cattle, as required under the BSE Monitoring (Scotland) Regulations 2001. Details of the businesses concerned were provided in the answer given to question S1W-17330 on 20 September 2001.

Public Transport

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial support is currently available to blind people to allow them to be accompanied by an aide or companion on public transport.

Sarah Boyack: Local authorities operate discretionary concessionary travel schemes under the provisions of the Transport Act 1985. Those provisions enable authorities, if they so wish, to provide concessionary travel arrangements to people accompanying blind travellers. Central government support for concessionary travel arrangements is made available through the local authority Grant Aided Expenditure settlement.

  In addition, the national free concessionary travel scheme for blind people in Scotland - a voluntary partnership between the Scottish Executive, local authorities, Strathclyde Passenger Transport and rail, bus and ferry companies - provides free travel concessions for all journeys within Scotland.

Schools

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for rolling out the Scottish Schools Digital Network to all schools.

Nicol Stephen: Proposals for a national schools’ intranet, currently known as the Scottish Schools Digital Network (SSDN), will be discussed at a conference planned for December. Following the conference, it is hoped to begin the procurement process for the SSDN early in the New Year.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it endorses the definition of the expression "school of the future" contained in Dumfries and Galloway Council's Schools Option Appraisal  document.

Nicol Stephen: This document is a matter for Dumfries and Galloway Council and it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Executive to comment on particular aspects of it.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the coverage of area-based Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Ms Margaret Curran: We currently have no plans to review the coverage of the Social Inclusion Partnerships programme beyond its present 48 partnerships.

Voluntary Organisations

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants were allocated indirectly to voluntary organisations in 2001-02 and what the amount of the grant was in each case.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive has released today, a database on indirect grants to voluntary organisations in 2001-02. A total of £304 million has been awarded, almost £35 million more than was awarded in the previous financial year. Copies are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding will be made available to local authorities for the storage of domestic refrigerators and freezers following the introduction of EC Regulation 2037/2000 which requires the removal of CFCs from these appliances before they are dismantled or disposed of.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive recognises that local authorities are faced with the new cost of storing discarded domestic refrigeration equipment until such time as the United Kingdom acquires the technology to remove ozone-depleting substances from insulation foam in an environmentally-secure manner. The funding issues are currently under consideration.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a facility to deal with the removal of CFCs from domestic refrigerators and freezers before they are dismantled or disposed of.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive has no plans to establish such facilities.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial or other assistance will be available to assist commercial industries and local authorities to establish a facility to deal with the removal of CFCs from domestic refrigerators and freezers before they are dismantled or disposed of.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive does not propose to offer any specific assistance for this purpose. The United Kingdom does not currently have the facilities to remove ozone-depleting substances from insulation foams, from which it follows that there is a gap in the market which industry may be able to exploit. It is up to individual companies to identify and take advantage of a business opportunity which presents itself in this way. Issues of funding for local authorities are currently being considered.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has issued to local authorities on the introduction of EC Regulation 2037/2000 which requires the removal of CFCs prior to the dismantling or disposal of domestic refrigerators and freezers.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive wrote to local authorities, the waste management industry and others with an interest on 14 September 2001 informing them of the new requirements and advising them of the consequent implications for the collection and disposal of used refrigerators.

Water Charges

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17239 by Ross Finnie on 21 August 2001, whether it will consider any further measures to reduce water and sewerage charges for low income households.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of affordable water charges. That is why it introduced the current transitional relief scheme. Considerable further work is needed on the affordability of water and sewerage charges in the longer term. I have therefore accepted the Water Industry Commissioner’s (WIC's) recommendation for further research in this area. Further details of the WIC's work can be found in chapter 24 of his Strategic Review of Charges published earlier this month.

Water Charges

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18745 by Ross Finnie on 30 October 2001, whether it will give comparative figures of the projected water charges over the next five years for average Shetland domestic and commercial consumers (a) under the proposed Scottish Water and (b) under the existing water authority if Scottish Water is not established.

Ross Finnie: As announced on the 12 November, I have agreed the revenue caps as advised by the Water Industry Commissioner. This means that provided the case for the creation of Scottish Water is agreed by Parliament, I expect domestic charges not to increase in the north next year. Domestic charges cannot be determined for the four-year period as a whole, however the Water Industry Commissioner's assessment that there will be no significant changes in the north is a reasonable one.

  Comparative figures cannot be given for the non-domestic sector owing to the differing natures of bills resulting from variety in size and type of businesses served.

Water Industry

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs of merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be for (a) the Executive, (b) the existing individual water authorities and (c) Scottish Water in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill, which provides estimates of the costs of the merger as far as they are available.

Water Industry

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how any cost in excess of its estimated £3 million for merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be funded.

Ross Finnie: As the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill states, the Scottish Executive will make a grant of £3 million to the water authorities as a contribution to the costs of transition. Costs in excess of this will be borne by the water authorities.

Water Industry

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the costs of merging the three existing water authorities into the proposed Scottish Water will be available to (a) the Parliament, (b) the three water authorities and (c) the public.

Ross Finnie: Estimates have already been supplied in the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill. Audited figures will be available in the water authorities’ accounts published next year.

Water Industry

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when (a) the Transport and the Environment Committee and (b) water authority staff will be publicly informed whether any redundancies are expected and, if so, how many there will be in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04, should the three water authorities amalgamate into the proposed Scottish Water.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish water industry must become substantially more efficient over the next four years, with inevitable cuts in staffing levels, regardless of whether Scottish Water is created or not. Broad estimates of voluntary redundancies under existing water authority schemes have already been made available to the committee and to water authority staff. The approach under Scottish Water will be a matter for its management to consider if and when it comes into being.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to his answer to question S1W-19461 on 12 November 2001, what the total costs were of publishing, printing and distributing the Scottish Parliament Annual Report 2000 to 2001 in languages other than English.

Sir David Steel: A further 1,000   copies of the Annual Report were published in Gaelic. These were distributed among various Gaelic organisations as well as schools, colleges and universities who use the document as part of their teaching programme. The total cost of publishing and printing the Gaelic version was £14,093. (Distribution costs were included in the figure given for the English version).